POP-TARTS BOWL: KANSAS STATE VS NC STATE

December 28, 2023

Dave Doeren

Camping World Stadium

NC State Wolfpack

Press Conference

Kansas State Wildcats 28, NC State Wolfpack 19

DAVE DOEREN: Congratulations to Kansas State. The kids played really hard and they earned that win. It was a heck of a ballgame.

I thought when we faked that punt and scored, gained all the momentum, and the way we had been playing prior to that next drive on defense in the second half, that we were going to win this game.

That did not happen. We were 4-of-15 on third down, and I think all four conversions came in that drive. Maybe, it was five, because we had a pass interference call against us there, too.

Bottom line is, we did not finish and they did and that is really what it came down to, that last drive. We missed a field goal, too. Obviously, that had something to do with it.

But, it was a heck of a football game. You got to watch a game with two teams that played really hard and probably a fun game to watch with two fake punts. Kids played hard on both sidelines, and a well-coached game. There was only one turnover. There was not a lot of penalties.

It was a good football game. Unfortunately, we just didnot make enough plays to win it at the end.

Q. Where do you think the team sets you up in terms of looking head to the future? Do you feel like that puts you and the program in a good place?

DAVE DOEREN: The way we finished the season definitely did. I am not talking about the Bowl game, but the five regular season wins. I felt like a lot of things clicked. Formulas for winning and the guys understanding what it takes and some guys emerged in some positions. There is some good leadership that arose on the team.

It is a hungry team. Disappointed bunch of guys in that locker room right now. I think they will be heavily motivated to finish, is a word we talked about a lot about. K-State has doubled up their opponents in the fourth quarter this year when you look at their scoring in that quarter. We knew that was a critical piece of the game and something we talked a lot about. Just did not get it done.

How does that play into the future? I will tell you, with college football anymore, I think it is every season, it is anybody's season. I mean, your teams are changing. We are going to have 50-plus new guys on our roster next year.

The guys coming back are going to be very driven, but each year, it is different than it has ever been in college football. I do not think reloading, rebuilding, I think everything, it is a new puzzle. It is a new puzzle every year.

It is exciting and challenging and confusing and everything all at once when you think about that. I think right now. I just want to think about the kids in that locker room and take a few days to get away and then get back to it.

Q. After being down double scores at halftime, what was the message to the players during the break?

DAVE DOEREN: I got a little mad in the locker room. I told them, that wasn't the team I expected to see. I thought we were flat. Weren't playing the way I expected.

I thought we really came out in the third quarter and really played much better. I let the coaches make their adjustments and just tried to motivate them. I thought they responded, I do. I think it was just one drive that was the difference in that game there at the end.

Q. Just speak a little about the effort that Brennan gave, just running the ball the way that he did and just trying to find a way to break through that defense?

DAVE DOEREN: Super tough guy. The kid plays relentless football and, obviously, has a skill set to run. He is tough. The guys blocked hard for him, and he did some good things, some good design runs and also some runs that he created on his own on some passes.

You love his heart. You love his character, his toughness and he wanted to win that football game. He did.

Q. You mentioned about the changes in college football. With your tenure in the ACC, is there something you'd like to see done? How would you like to see this changed.

DAVE DOEREN: Yeah.

Q. You lose your guy this week, your big defensive guy this week. What changes would you make?

DAVE DOEREN: Man, I don't know if I have time for that one. There are so many things wrong right now with college football. To me, you have heard everybody come up with their different things.

Right now, it is just getting some enforceable rules. Leveling the playing field in the NIL world. I do not know how you do that, but it is the wild west. It is just pushed greed and a lack of character and integrity into the sport. It is disappointing to watch. I cannot sit here after a loss and tell you how to fix it. Man, I am not going to do it that.

But, it needs to be fixed. There needs to be some leadership that does that. It is going to have to start way up high. It is going to have to be at the commissioner or presidential level or maybe even higher.

But, there are some bad stuff that was created with that rule that came out from the courts and now we are all trying to figure out just how to live in this world and do the best we can. It is tough for a guy that is 52 that has been in college football now for 30 years, it's not going the right direction.

Still a great product. It is an incredible sport to watch right now, there are no doubt. But, it is a team sport that starts with character and morals and integrity, toughness and togetherness and fight and resiliency. I have never heard of stealing each other's players and greed and all the stuff that is going on as part of the formula for this sport, but that is what we have.

Q. I wanted to ask about Trent, obviously had the exciting fake punt. He's been here six years. What did it mean to you to get to coach him one last season and see him make that huge play tonight?

DAVE DOEREN: Yeah, it was a great play. Happy for Trent. Trent's been through a lot. Had a bunch of injuries throughout his career. Was able to play I think the most of his career this season and has been an explosive player on and off for us. Great teammate the whole time he has been here.

So, that was awesome for him to make that play. It was great play, too. It was well-designed, and well-blocked. He did a things with his athletic ability there. That was pretty awesome to watch.

Q. You talked about Brennan's toughness but seemed like KC was banged up at times but wanting to get back out there. What was it like to see him go out there do his thing?

DAVE DOEREN: Yeah, super competitive guy and for the number of things he has had to for our offense, he's ready for the off-season. Yeah, he got nicked up a little bit. It is hard to keep him out. He is a guy that wants to keep playing, wants to impact the game, wants to help his teammates.

Q. When you're trying to come-from-behind, how tough is it when K-State has a guy like D.J. and how much of it is trying to stop him?

DAVE DOEREN: That is a really good O-Line that they have. Four guys are six-year players on that O-line. You have to give the running back credit, because we did not tackle him well. He ran hard and that is on us. We have to tackle better.

Their O-line does a great job and they are well-coached. There is a lot going into that. It is a good offense, the way they run it, and the kids played hard for them. There were not a lot of mistakes. There were not a lot of penalties. No turnovers. Pretty impressive for an offense with a freshman playing quarterback.

Q. Back to Brennan. We talked after the UNC game, the arc of his season, everything that he went through, but when you look at all the guys that have been in your program for a number of years what can a guy like that that comes in for one year and do what he did and play the way he did tonight, how can that set an example or bring something new? What did he do for your program in that one game?

DAVE DOEREN: To see what he went through and the kind of teammate that he was through it. It inspired a lot of people. It did. I mean, he is -- I will not say the right stats, but for a lefty in the ACC, like 10,000 yards, some crazy stats that he has. For him to basically be benched and say, you know what, that is the right thing.

To stand up in front of the team and tell them to play harder for the guy than they played for him because he deserves their best, and to say it in a way where the kids are like, wow. He just comes to practice and plays his ass off every day to the point where we want to start using him again. He won the locker room the day he got benched because of how he handled it.

Then full circle, he gets the job back, and the team just went crazy for him, and I think it says a lot about just the type of teammate you can be when things do not go your way.

He inspired a lot of people, including me, you know, with how he handled adversity. I have the utmost respect for him. I do not know what awaits for him. Is he going to be a Taysom Hill-type guy in the NFL that is a good backup and holds the clipboard and drives people crazy with his legs? I do not know.

But man, is he a competitive dude and is he a great teammate. I would love to see him get a shot.

Q. As a head coach, defensive coordinator in the Big 12, have you ever seen a quarterback like Avery Johnson that, young, that athletic?

DAVE DOEREN: Yeah, unfortunately I have. Seen a lot of quarterbacks like him. And he is a good player; I'm not trying to downplay your question. Vince Young was pretty good when he we played against him. Lamar Jackson was pretty good when we played against him. There are been quite a few in the ACC that can run around and drive you crazy.

That is a talented young quarterback. K-State has a great player there. He has a tremendous future.

Q. Obviously went into halftime, had the big deficit, and you guys battled back to make it a very close game. What do you think was the key in the third quarter to step in and make that a close game and close the gap?

DAVE DOEREN: I think Trent's play on special teams. We were able to get three points. We were able to come out of the half knowing we got a two-fer, and got another three points, which was great. Any points in that game was going to be helpful. We knew it was going to be a close game, just with Trent's explosive play on special teams.

They got one from us and we got one back, so that really tightened it down. After that, like Coach D said, we really thought we were going to win that game. Offensively, we just did not get anything going after that.